Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-02-12

Chor0cteriStics Of the MOunsAimeerx.
Y. T. Allen, in Southern Bivouac for February.
Among these mountaineen the purity OF Old
English nomenclature and traces Of English dIa-
lect barbarisms are singularly well preserved Oc-
casionaliy there Is . strong Welsh infusion In
"neighborhood, which has been existent longer
IMAM current memory. In the West Virginia
mountains the*.. is q singular race Of dwarnsh
people whose origin nobody can suggest. They
nave been held In contempt by their neighbors
ever since they appeared and are even yet regard
germany among and perpetuate themselves, now
ana anen ge.ting fresh, but not better blood rom
the contempt that they will invite by marriage
Win tne dwarfS In the North Carolina range
tneie ~ Is strong Turkish reminiscense Directly
oiaCeaoIe 70 fugitive piracy. Consume Is There
commonly recurring surname being q cor
ruptlon OF the Turkish Constantine. a name
uorns ny lne merci!eSS John OF that lk, wno for
some years before the war, was an outiawed high
Wayman ana murderer infesting the swamp lands
Oh caronna and levying terror and tribute upon
tnS surrounding country. So great was the dread
OF MS name and the traditional Internal attributes
enaI hau seemed TO protect him on many occa-
sions that even after he had been pursued into
swamp and killed by ayenging planters, the
negroes firmly believed in his ability TO triumph
over 9eath, and for years were confident that ne
Woulu again appear In the majesty OF bis gigantic
person and Weld his celebrated one-fingered hand
with more than his old destroying skill A vessel
coast OF North Carolina during the early part OF
Ine last century, and by an easy train OF sugges.
Ilon me nafauderS who escaped can be followed
nto tne inferior, flying further as aVenging civi-
ZatOn approached, until the last and safest refuge
VI the mountains was reached. There Is no PROOF
OIL Inns migration that have been able to discover
Dut Cne presence OF these pirates on the coast ana
cue vesClges OF Turkish Infusion in the noun
CalnS are lacts too near together not to be con-
or the British refugees who took to the noun
Calns ior lDerty's sake many were enslaved con-
scss, put not all were felons With the conniv,
were many instances OF kidnapping. The slave
Iraae with Africa, which was then precar1ous
enough labor. Even the effux of felons from
hngmsa prisons, filled, as they were with men
accused acc and convicted OF slight grounds, could
the terrorS OF the coast climate and the severity
OF the toll imposed killed of the penal slaves
to be- 10 o saRs IN
glnla became almost as frequent as the impress
lneht or American seamen for British ships at
a more historic period Many OF those who
escaped from the coast plantations by flying TO
the mountain businesses were therefore lDno-
cent, unfortunate and deserving men. Enbt-
leIso Dy thelr tate, made Self-reliant by their
solitude and the terrors and dangers OF their
surroundings, all these confused yet distinctel
ments grew up 1mbued With wild courage, an in
stlnctlve disregard OF life and character that
was Pur1tanc in some directions, while it was SIN
g9Iarly loose and reckless in others.
The tenacity with which they have chung to race
ana Iamliy characteristics and perpetuated them
selves almost without change, while the marvel
Gus empire about them was changing with ire
sistibte rapid1ty, suggests that at the source OF
Inelr moral heredlty there was no mean weakness.
Inc 1elcnS OF Great Britain were not thieves, at
least, LOT the mOuntaineerS Will not steal from
each other nor from the stranger within their
gates A commemorative attorney, who had en-
gaged the courts OF one Of the most lawleSS and
tuFD'lieht mountain counties in Kentucky, is au-
tnoIlty IOr the statement that a complaint OF or
an Indictment for stealing vas an almost unheard-
OF thlhg IN the courts, whilst complaints OF hom-
clde and assassination were comparatively fire.
quent. They live in hopeless poverty, sometimes
menaced with famine that threatens depOpulatiOn
In limit n~nl,l
along the valley sides with great difficulty and
lano'; but not even the constant want and pow
Ell! OF their condition has driven them to theft
&c race OF people With this characteristic quality
could have sprung from thieves.